US DOE will offer $12.6 billion in new nuclear loan guarantees
Source: Platts
The US Department of Energy plans to make available federal loan guarantees totaling $12.6 billion for uranium enrichment facilities, new nuclear reactors, small modular reactors and capacity upgrades at existing nuclear plants.
In a draft solicitation issued Tuesday, the agency said up to $2 billion will be available for uranium enrichment, conversion and nuclear fuel fabrication project loan guarantees, while the remaining $10.6 billion will be available for three categories of nuclear power projects.
The categories of projects are nuclear reactors with "state-of-the-art design improvements," small modular reactors of 300 MW or less, and capacity increases, or uprates, as well as other upgrades to existing units that contribute to efficiency.
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"I am shocked that uprates and upgrades were included ... it may be their way of saying there are so few new reactor projects going forward," said Sara Barczak, head of SACE's high-risk energy program.
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Several US utilities have canceled recent plans for uprates, citing low power prices and sluggish demand. In a fact sheet, DOE said loan guarantees could go to reactors that have shut or will have to shut because they need required upgrades.
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Read more: http://www.platts.com/latest-news/electric-power/washington/us-doe-will-offer-126-billion-in-new-nuclear-21310862
Throwing good money after bad.
I am so glad the San Onofre dinosaur was shut down.
There's no reason taxpayers should foot the bill for botched "upgrades" like we had at San Onofre.
But that's what you'll see with these new loan guarantees - desperate attempts to squeeze more money out of these dangerous old rustbuckets until they "Halt and Catch Fire".
We already know SMR's will not be economical - there's no reason to provide loans, the technology is a waste of money, and will just add to the growing piles of nuclear waste.
= new reply since forum marked as read
WTF?!
Fuku, TMI, Hanford, Chernobyl, how many examples do you need?
Shit's bad, mmkay?
